contact us

Useful Links

Who's Online

We have 65 guests and no members online

Research Findings

Traditional and Modern Drag Research Directorate of EPHI Research Findings

The Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI) is awarded on the 6th Ministry of Science and Technology’s National Award for the Herbal Based Ectoparasiticidal Products: Anti-Sarcoptic Mange Mite, Anti-Sheep Ked and Anti-Sucking Lice of Ruminants research which is conducted in collaboration with other institutes.

Ethiopia is known to be one of the countries in Africa which has the largest number of cattle, sheep and goats. However because of various barriers the country is not getting the expected economical benefits from it. One of the main reasons for these are the diseases that affect the animals which lead to reduced production. The direct and indirect effects of Ectoparasitic infestations affect the milk, meat, leather and hide products and finally results in the death of the animal.

As researches indicate one of the ten diseases that reduce the quality of sheep and goats hide is Ectoparasitic infestations or external parasites. In fact this affects the foreign currency the country is supposed to earn from the sector. In addition to these these external parasites transmit disease to other cattle including human beings.

The government of Ethiopia has launched and is implementing a nationwide program to control these infestations. Specially an effort is being exerted to control Sarcoptes scabiei var. caprae, Damalina ovis and Melophagus ovinus which all are also included in this research. For these chemicals for the modern medicine known as diazinon are being imported and the medicine is produced locally. However since the chemicals for this medicine are not clearly known, the medicine is causing side effects on animals, human beings and the environment. Thus it has been found necessary to use natural resources to produce the medicine based on scientific research. Therefore, Ethiopian Public Health Institute (EPHI), designed a project and funded by the government began to implement it. In due process in order to obtain the best result from the research College of Veterinary Medicine and Agriculture of Addis Ababa University and Wondo Genet Agriculture Research Institute respectively joined the research. And when the research results began to show positive indications, Adamitulu Pesticide Processing Share Company was made to join the project in order to fabricate the medicine.

The research has taken more than 10 years and at first it was conducted on juices from 14 plants. Later, based on the laboratory results, the plants were reduced to two; Cymbopogon Citrates and Eucalypturs Globulus.

The mixture from the two plants was tested on infested goats and sheep. The test results indicated that the mixture has the same result as the modern medicine – diazinon. Therefore the test was expanded to sheep affected in Fiche and Assela towns maintaining their habitat’s natural weather. In the same manner the test was conducted around Kemise and in South Omo (Koka) on goats affected by sacroptic mange mite.

Equity of the Research:

Studies are underway to fabricate/manufacture and distribute the medicines,

The production of these medicines from natural resources will be transferred and easily used by farmers and pastoralists and

Small scale farmers have become beneficiary by producing Cymbopogon citrates using advanced technology and by supplying it to the market.

Significance of the Research Results:

The results of this research;

enable producing Ectoparasiticidal products from natural resources, thus contribute a great deal to the development of the green economy,

reduce the side effects of modern medicines on cattle and human beings,

avoid the process of importing chemicals to produce locally,

improve the quality and quantity of meat, milk and hide,

empower researcher’s confidence to produce and use own produces based on scientific researches,

save foreign currency spent on importing chemicals and by far they enable generating foreign currency by exporting the products,

small scale farmers specially women and the youth can grow the plants on a small land and bring them to the market,

since the research was conducted by Health and Agriculture Institutes, University and the Industry and has obtained successful results, it can be a role model for other researchers,

different experts with different expertise and educational backgrounds have participated on the research. This guaranteed sharing of experience and technology transfer,

contribute to the country’s transformation plan, and

it creates investment opportunities for those interested in the field.